I like the idea of an honor code. Many elite private universities have them, such as Vanderbilt. At Vanderbilt they have a ceremony at the beginning of every year and the incoming freshmen sign a banner saying they will abide by the honor code. I think this is a great idea because it makes it feel like you have personally committed to being honest. They specifically lay out what is unacceptable and then you sing saying you understand the rules and consequences. While MTSU has clear academic dishonesty information on their web site and in the catalog, having students sign something makes it a little more formal.

When I go to a ceremony of any sort, I take it seriously. The reason we have ceremonies for anything is to draw attention to and show the importance of something. This is why a ceremony regarding the honor code is a great idea. I am not sure if there is less dishonesty at the schools that use these types of tools, but it is worth a try.